Knockdown closure structure



May 24 1938.

M. S. GIBSON KNOCKDOWN CLOSURE STRUCTURE Filed Jan. 11, 1937 3 Sheets-Sheet l Irufe T6 1%/0 QZsazz May 24, 193 8. s GIBSON 2,118,032

KNOGKDOWN CLOSURE STRUCTURE Filed Jan. 11, 1937 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 P r J v///// 1/ 3 l [3 I 29 fmfenfar orney May 24, 1938. Y M. s. GIBSON KNOCKDOWN CLOSURE STRUCTURE Filed Jan. 11, 1937 3 $heets-Shee'r. 5

Patented May 24, 1938 4 2,118,032

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE KNOCKDOWN CLOSURE STRUCTURE Milo S. Gibson, Chicago, 111., assignor to Rudolph Wm. Lotz and himself, both of Chicago, 111.

Application January 11, 1937, Serial No. 119,973

11 Claims. (01. 189-79) The present invention relates to improvements tional window and which is composed, preferably, in skeleton panels for sash frames of windows of a plurality of outer tubular sections I of difand doors, and has for its object to provide a ferent selective lengths disposed end to end and knockdown structure of this type composed of which are telescopically engaged with inner tuinterengaged elements which may be held against bular sections 2 disposed in staggered relation to 5 relative disengaging movement by merely engagthe said outer sections l. ing the marginal elements thereof with devices For details of construction of the said marginal carried by the sash frame against disengagement frames, reference is had to my pending applicafrom thelatter and wherein any lost motion may tion Ser. No. 83,438.

be taken up by maintaining the component ele- By means of the selective lengths of the com- 10 ments of the panel structure under either tension ponent sections I of the side and end rails of the or compression. marginal frame and the corner members 3 which The invention may be variously embodied and are telescopically engaged with the terminal porin the accompanying drawings illustrating the tions of the side and end rails of said frame, the

invention, several suitable embodiments are latter may be built up to fit any desired size of 15 shown. window frame, door frame, or the like, as shown In said drawings, in Fig. 1, the outer sections 2 being provided at Fig. 1 is a fragmentary front elevation partly regular intervals with openings through which in section, of a panel structure and sash frame the marginal rods 4 and 5, respectively, of the therefor, constructed in accordance with the inpanel structure project. The said respective 20 vention. openings are spaced apart a distance equal in the Fig. 2 is a fragmentary detail sectional view of case of the end rails, to the spacing apart of said the same on an enlarged scale taken on the line marginal rods 4, and, in the case of side rails to 2-2 of Fig. 1. accord with the spacing apart of the marginal Fig. 3 is a fragmentary detail sectional view rods 5. The inner sections 2 are provided with 25 on an enlarged scale taken on the line 3-3 of similar openings which are disposed to register Fig. 2. with the openings in the outer sections I so that, Fig. 4 is a fragmentary plan sectional view as said marginal rods 4 and 5 project through taken on the line 44 of Fig. 3. the said aligned openings in the outer and inner Fig. 5 is a plan sectional view of the same taken sections, respectively, said rods serve to hold said 30 on the line 5-5 of Fig. 3. inner and outer sections against relative longi- Fig. 6 is a fragmentary perspective view of one tudinal movement. of the component rods of the structure shown in Disposed within the side and end rails of the Figs. 3 to 5 inclusive. said marginal frame are suitable devices, such 5 Fig. '7 is a sectional view similar to Fig. 3 showas Channel bars in Which the st t a ly T- ing another structural modification. shaped outer ends of the marginal rods 4 and 5 Fig. 8 is .a fragmentary vertical sectional view are engaged. The said channel bars 6 are adjuste of the same taken on the line 88 of Fig. 7. able toward and from the inner peripheral walls Fig. 9 and Fig. 10 are perspective views similar of the marginal fr by means of set Screws 1 to Fig. 6 showing rods of the type employed in the which, in the instance illustrated, are adapted to 40 structure of Figs. '7 and 8. adjust the positions of the channel bars 6 to exert Fig. 11 is a perspective View partly in section a tension stress upon the said marginal rods 4 of one of the coupling members common to the d respectively several structures shown in Figs. 3 to 10 inclusive Each of the rods 4 and 5, respectively, and the with rod ends projecting therefrom. companion rods 8 and 9 associated therewith, are

Figs. 12 and 13 are views similar to Figs. 3 and equipped with arcuate ends I0 which, preferably, '7 respectively, showing other modified types of are cut away throughout half the thickness of embodiments of the invention. the rods of which they form integral parts. In Fig. 14 is a fragmentary View partly in section the instance illustrated the several rods 4 and 5 and partly in front elevation illustrating the and 8 and 9 are shown as being square in cross 50 method of assembling the panel structure. section, but any other desired cross sectioned The grill panel structures of the present inven- Shape of rod may be p ye tion are all equally adapted to be employed in The arrangement of the rods 4 and 5 relatively combination with a marginal frame which may to the rods 8 and 9 is such that the arcuate end be the equivalent of a sash frame of a convenportion at the exposed end of each rod 4 overlaps .55

the arcuate portion ll] of a rod 8, each of the rods 8 and 9 being equipped with said arcuate end portions Ii) at both ends.

The said arcuate end portions of all the rods 4, 5, 8 and 9 of the structure are engaged in coupling members II which may be composed of suitable die castings or may be composed of drop forgings as by splitting the coupling member H along the plane indicated by the section line 33 of Fig. 2 and then welding the two component parts of said coupling members to each other. The resulting coupling members is thus provided with two opposed arcuate passages l2 into which the said arcuate end portions of the aforesaid several rods project in the aforesaid overlapped relation to each other, the cross sectional dimensions of said passages being substantially equal to the combined cross-sectional div mensions of the overlapped arcuate portions Ill of the rods to effect a relatively snug fit throughout.

The relative arrangement of the component rods 4, 5, 8 and 9, in the assembled panelstructure is preferably such that all vertically disposed rods engaged with coupling members I! form articulate parallel bars, the component rods of each of said bars being axially aligned. Similarly, the component rods of the horizontal bars are preferably axially aligned with each other.

In practice all of the rods 9 will be of this same length which may be the same or different than the length of the rods 8, all of the latter being also of the same length. In the instance illustrated the rods 8 are of less length than the rods 9, but these relative lengths may be changed as desired.

All of the marginal rods 4 and 5, respectively must be supplied in different selective lengths in order that the middle portion of the panel structure composed of rods 8 and 9 and which is of less width and length than the space defined by the marginal frame, may be suitably connected with the latter so that the rods 8 at the top and bottom of the panel may be equally spaced from the end rails of the marginal frame and similarly, so the peripheral rods 9 of the middle portion of "he panel structure may be equally spaced from the side rails of the marginal frame.

If we assume that in the instance illustrated the latitude of the adjustment of the bars 6 within the side and end rails of the marginal frame is 2 inches, then the marginal rods 4 and 5 may be furnished in lengths of multiples of 2 inches in order to enable the entire panel structure to be made of a size which, in connection with the bars 6, may be so positioned relatively to the marginal frame as to enable the latter to be built up to fit any size of window or door frame.

The rods 8 may, for example be all made of lengths so that the distance between centers of coupling members I I will be 6 inches and the rods 9 may be of such length as to space the coupling centers 12 inches apart, so that all of the rectangular openings defined by the rods 8 and 9 will be substantially 6 by 12 inches. By varying the number of rods 8 and 9 of the component panel structure, the latter may be built up in multiples of 6 inches in width and multiples of twelve inches in length and in connection with a panel structure composed of said rods 8 and 9, the marginal rods 4 and 5, respectively, of requisite length to meet the requirements of the outer dimension of the marginal frame, will be employed.

After the marginal rods 4 and 5, respectively, have been engaged with the adjusting bars 6,

or equivalent adjustable elements within the marginal frame, the said rods and the rods 8 and 9 will be incapable of being disengaged from the coupling members ll, as will be obvious. By subjecting the marginal rods 4 and 5 either to compression or tension by means of the said bars 6 or equivalent means, the panel structure will be held rigid with the marginal frame and all of the component rods thereof will be held against all movement relatively to the coupling members' ll.

As is illustrated in Figs. 7-10, inclusive, the component rods I4 and [5, corresponding to the marginal rods 4 and 5 of Fig. 1 and the rods I 8 and I9, respectively, corresponding to rods 8 and 9 of Fig. 1 may be equipped with arcuate end portions l3 and I6, respectively, which are cut away arcuately along lines removed from the meeting faces of the arcuate end portions of the rods 4, 5, 8 and 9 of Figs. 3 to 6. cally all instances it is preferable that the extremity of each arcuate end portion 13 and I6 of each component rod of the structure of Figs. 7-10 inclusive, shall abut against the shoulder 28 at the inner end of a companion arcuate end of another of said rods, such abutting of said extremities against said shoulder being preferable, but not necessary.

The coupling member 21 of Figs. 7 and 8 may be identical with that shown in Figs. 1 and 2 and all of the coupling members II and 21 may be rendered ornamental in appearance.

In the structure of Fig. 12, all of the component rods 24, 25, 28 and 29, respectively, corresponding to the rods 4, 5, 8 and 9 of Figs. 1 and 3, are provided with equal arcuate end portions 22. In this structure the end of the rod, of which the arcuate portion 22 constitutes a part, is cut away similarly to the ends of the rods 14, 15, I8 and 19, but through less than onehalf the thickness of the rod. Each rod is equipped at the inner end of its arcuate portion 22 with a shoulder 23 against which the extremity of the arcuate end portion of another rod, extending at an angle of 90 to the first-mentioned rod, abuts. Similarly, the coupling member 26, composed of a die casting or of a forging made of two equal parts welded together, is equipped with arcuate passages 21 around a central substantially square portion 30. In order to permit the arcuate end portions of the rods to be inserted into said arcuate passages 21, the mouths of the openings of said passages are radiused or rendered arcuate as at 3| at one side of each thereof and each of said arcuate passages terminates at a shoulder 32 aligned with the shoulder 23 of a rod projected into an adjacent passage and constitutes a stop formation against which the extremity of the arcuate portion of the rod projected into said passage abuts. It will be obvious, of course, that said stop shoulders are not essential but are preferable.

In the structure of Fig. 13, each of the component rods 34, 35 and 38 and 39, respectively is provided with an arcuate terminal end portion 36 which is of the same cross-sectional dimensions throughout as is the body of the rod of which it forms an integral part. The said arcuate end portions 36 enter arcuate passages 31 in the coupling members 40 which are so formed that the extremities of said arcuate portions 36 abut against the end walls of said passages 31.

Obviously, the structure of Fig. 13 possesses greater strength than the several structures heretofore described insofar as possibility of straight- In practithe structure.

ening the arcuate end portions of the rods to effect their withdrawal from the passages of the couplings inwhich they are engaged is concerned. It will be obvious, however, by referenceto Fig. 1 that in theevent that any attempt is made to Withdraw, for example, a marginal rod 4 or 5 from the coupling member II with which it is engaged, that attempt will be resisted primarily by the bars 6 in the opposed end rails or side rails of the marginal frame and will be further resisted in requiring a distortion of other rods of In. the event that it is attempted to withdraw the marginal rods 4 or 5 from the marginal frame, this would be resisted by the bars 6 in opposed rail of the structure and in the event that the force employed should be sufficient to strip the threads of the screws I, no withdrawal of the. rods from the said marginal frame could be effected without shearing the lips of the flanges I engaged in the recesses inwardly of the T-shaped heads of said marginal rods. Consequently, the structure will be exceedingly diflicult to disassemb le without resorting to extreme force, it being the purpose and intent to make all of the component parts of the whole structure of an alloy steel of great tensile strength and toughness and of a hardness capable of resisting hack saws and files.

The structure shown in detail in Figs. 3-6 inclusive is preferable to the remaining structure for the reason that it possesses ample strength for the purposes for which it is intended and will permit the coupling members II to be made of smaller dimensions relatively to the cross-sectional dimensions of the component rods than is true of the structure of Figs. 12 and 13. Said structure of Figs. 3 to 6 inclusive, is also preferable to that of Figs. '7 and 8, because it possesses greater strengthin the arcuate end portions of the rods proportionately to the amount of metal in the latter and further because the opposite arcuate end portions of the rods of Fig. 3 are identical with each other and thus are more easily manufactured and assembled with the coupling members II.

In Fig. 14 the method of assembly of the rods with the coupling members is illustrated. For purposes of greater ease of comprehension the rods and couplings of Figs. 7 to 11 inclusive are shown.

In effecting assembly of the rods I8 and I9 with the coupling members 2|, a series of rods I9 axially aligned with each other are first engaged with a series of coupling members 2| until a pair of articulate bars of desired length have been assembled. Then the two bars at the right hand side of Fig. 14 are disposed in the relative positions thereshown, but initially spaced farther apart so that the horizontal rods I8 may be disposed between them. The extremities of the lower arcuate ends of the rods I8 are then projected into the proper sockets of the coupling members ZI of the middle vertical bar of Fig. 14 and the right hand vertical bar of Fig. 14 is then moved toward the middle bar so that the upper arcuate ends of the last-named bars I8 enter the opposed sockets of the couplings 2| of said right hand bar. By then lowering said right hand bar until its coupling members are aligned with those of the two left-hand bars previously similarly coupled with rods I8, the panel structure is increased in width, these operations being repeated until the middle portion of the panel structure, devoid of its marginal rods, has been completely assembled.

Said middle portion of the panel structure in all instances will be of less width and length than the area to be bordered and defined by the marginal frame; the dimensions of that area as determined by the desired out width and length of the frame, determines the selection of lengths of marginal rods to be employed, the latter being easily assembled with the marginal coupling members 2|.

The marginal frame is then assembled around the panel structure and the bars 6 thereof engaged with the outer end portions of the marginal rods, thus completing the closure structure.

The same steps of assembly are common to all of the embodiments of the invention illustrated and hereinabove described, it being obvious, of course, that the articulate horizontal bars may be first assembled and then coupled with the vertical rods of the panel.

I claim as my invention:

1. A knockdown closure structure of the type specified comprising a marginal frame, and a panel structure bordered by and secured thereto, said panel structure comprising rods each equipped with arcuate formations at both ends, single piece coupling members each adapted to receive and engage the said arcuate formations at one end each of a plurality of said rods and each of said rods being engaged at said ends with two coupling members, each of said coupling members being equipped with a plurality of arcuate sockets to snugly receive the said arcuate formations of said rods, all of the latter when engaged with coupling members at both ends of each thereof being disposed in a common plane, said sockets and arcuate formations engaged therein cooperating to prevent disengagement of any rod from a coupling member except by arcuate movement relatively to the latter, said coupling members cooperating with each other to prevent said arcuate movements of said rods, and means securing the outer ends of the marginal rods of the structure to said marginal frame.

2. A closure structure of the type specified comprising rods each equipped with arcuate formations at both ends, a knockdown panel structure composed of single-piece coupling members each equipped with sockets to receive and engage the said arcuate formations at one end each of a plurality of said rods and each of said rods being engaged at said ends with two coupling members, all of the rods when engaged with coupling members at both ends of each thereof being disposed in a common plane and all rods engaged with any one of said coupling members being disposed equidistantly from each other, said sockets and arcuate formations engaged therein cooperating to prevent disengagement of any rod froma coupling member except by arcuate movement relatively to the latter and a marginal frame bordering said panel structure and secured to the marginal rods of the panel structure for cooperation with said coupling members to maintain the same engaged with said rods and to prevent all relative movement between the latter and said coupling members.

3. A knockdown structure of the type specified including a panel structure comprising rods each equipped with arcuate formations at both ends, single-piece coupling members each equipped with a plurality of sockets each adapted to receive and. telescopically engage the said arcuate formations at one end each of a plurality of said rods and with two coupling members, all of the rods when engaged with coupling members at both ends of 'each thereof being disposed in a common plane and substantially radially of the center of the coupling members, said sockets and arcuate for- .mations engaged therein cooperating to prevent disengagement of any rod from a coupling member except by arcuate movement relatively to the latter in the plane common to all of said rods.

4. A knockdown structure of the type specified comprising a panel structure composed of a plurality of single-piece coupling members each equipped with a pair of arcuate opposed sockets each open at both ends, the said open ends of said sockets being disposed substantially equidistantly from each other, a plurality of marginal rods each having one arcuate end portion and a plurality of rods equipped with arcuate formations at both ends, each of said last-named rods having its end portions engaged in said sockets of two spaced-apart coupling members and each socket of each of said coupling members receiving and engaged with the arcuate formations at one end of each of two of said rods disposed angularly of each other, and a marginal frame bordering said panel and equipped with normally inaccessible adjustable devices engaged with the end portions of marginal rods of said panel structure and cooperating with said coupling members to prevent all relative movement of components of said panel.

5. A panel structure of the type specified comprising a plurality of single-piece coupling members each equipped with a pair of arcuate opposed sockets each open at both ends, the said open ends of said sockets being disposed substantially equidistantly from each other, and a plurality of rods equipped with arcuate formations, each of said rods having an arcuate end portion engaged in said sockets of coupling members, each of said sockets receiving and engaged with the overlapped arcuate formations at one end of each of two of said rods disposed angularly of each other.

6. A knockdown structure of the type specified including a knockdown panel comprising a plurality of marginal rods each equipped with one arcuate end portion, a plurality of coupling members each equipped with a pair of arcuate opposed sockets each open at both ends, the said open ends of said sockets being disposed substantially equidistantly from each other, a plurality of rods equipped with arcuate formations at both ends, each of said last-named rods having its opposite end portions engaged in said sockets of two spaced-apart coupling members and each socket of each of said coupling members receiving and engaged with the arcuate formations at one end of each of two rods disposed angularly of each other, the cross-sectional dimensions of said sockets being substantially equal to those of the rods between said arcuate formations of the latter, said arcuate formations of said rods being cut away in part, the said arcuate end portions engaged in one socket overlapping each other and a marginal frame bordering said panel and secured to the outer portions of the first-named rods.

7. A closure structure including a panel comprising sets of rods extending laterally of each other, the rods of each set being axially aligned with each other and equipped at their ends with projections extending laterally of the axes thereof, coupling members interposed between the said rods and equipped with sockets in which said projections are engaged, each of said sockets receiving and engaging the projections of two rods extending transversely to each other and cooperating with said projections to prevent disengagement of said rods from said coupling members by exerting tension on the rods relatively to the coupling members in the general direction of the respective axes of each set of said rods, and a marginal frame equipped with adjustable means engaged with the outer ends of the marginal rods of the panel for maintaining said tension on said respective sets of said rods.

8. A closure structure including a panel comprising a plurality of coupling members each equipped with sockets having their mouths spaced ninety degrees apart. and receiving end portions of four rods disposed radially of the center of the coupling member, said sockets extending laterally of the radii of the center of the coupling member and said rods equipped at their ends with projections extending laterally of their 1ongitudinal axes and engaged within said sockets, the said projections at opposite ends of each rod being oppositely disposed and engaged in sockets of two spaced apart coupling members and joining said coupling members against disengagement from the said rods by stresses exerted in the general direction of the length of said rods, and a hollow marginal frame engaged with and equipped with means for exerting stress on said rods.

9. The combination with a marginal anchorage for the marginal rods of a knockdown panel structure, of a panel structure including said marginal rods engaged with said anchorage at one end each and each thereof equipped at its other end with a lateral projection, a plurality of rods each equipped at its ends with oppositely disposed lateral projections, and single-piece coupling members each equipped with sockets receiving and completely housing said projections of four rods and each of the last-named rods engaged at opposite ends with two of said coupling members, said anchorage cooperating with said couplings to prevent relative disengaging movement between all of the said rods and the coupling members engaged therewith.

10. The combination with a marginal frame for a knockdown panel structure, and adjustable means within said frame engaged with one end portion of each of the marginal rods of the panel structure, of a panel structure including said marginal rods, each of the latter equipped at its inner end with a lateral projection, a plurality of rods each equipped at both ends with a lateral projection, the said projections of each thereof being oppositely disposed, a plurality of single-piece coupling members equipped with sockets engaged with and completely housing said projections of said rods, each of said coupling members engaged with the projections of four of said rods and each of the first-named rods being engaged with one of said coupling members, each of the second-named rods engaged with two of said coupling members, said adjustable means cooperating with said coupling members and said rods to maintain all of the latter in predetermined relative positions wherein they are held against disengagement from each other.

11. In a knockdown structure of the kind specified, a plurality of single-piece coupling members each provided with a plurality of sockets having mouths spaced from each other and disposed radially of the axis of the coupling member, said sockets extending laterally of the radii of said axis and disposed in a common plane, a

plurality of rods each equipped at both ends with lateral projections engaged and completely housed by said sockets and having their axes disposed in the plane common to said sockets, each of said rods engaged with two of said coupling members and each of the latter engaged with a plurality of said rods, and marginal rods each equipped at one end with a lateral projection engaged in and completely housed by a socket of one of said coupling members, and a marginal frame engaged with the other ends of said marginal rods and maintaining the latter in predetermined relative positions, thereby also maintaining all of said couplings and all of said rods in predetermined relative positions and against disengagement from said coupling members.

MILO S. GIBSON. 

